Electric motors
On a firm footing
Oil rigs are exposed to extreme environmental conditions around the clock. Wind, weather and salty air make life difficult for the electrical equipment. However, its reliability is absolutely crucial for the smooth operation of the platforms. Paragon Offshore therefore uses 58 W22 motors from WEG to drive the sophisticated lifting mechanism of the legs of its B391 mobile drilling platform in the North Sea.
The North Sea is one of the most important areas for the offshore industry in Europe. In the British part of the North Sea in particular, there are numerous platforms for the extraction of oil and gas. Paragon Offshore also operates several jack-up rigs there. A jack-up rig is a self-lifting mobile platform with several movable legs. During repositioning, a buoyant hull first transports the entire jack-up rig, including all systems and equipment, to the desired location. Once there, the legs are lowered with the help of electric motors. Once these are firmly anchored in the ground, electric motors raise the hull to the desired height above the sea surface and drilling can begin.
The aim of the current project was to replace the engines of the B391 jack-up rig so that it could be safely repositioned off the coast of Humberside in the UK. Safe lifting operations are essential for this type of repositioning. Paragon Offshore therefore commissioned drive specialist WEG to equip the rig with more robust, energy-efficient electric motors.
Hot lifting process
As the easily accessible oil fields are gradually running out, offshore companies are forced to turn to new production sites. However, these are often located in deeper waters, with correspondingly higher temperature and pressure differences, which in turn increases the demands on the technical equipment. The correct positioning of the platform plays a decisive role in efficient and economical extraction. However, the lifting process required for this is very delicate, and even small errors in the lifting system can lead to the entire rig collapsing.
The primary objective and biggest challenge of the project was to ensure reliable operation of the lifting technology without power or load fluctuations despite the aggressive environmental conditions. Due to falling oil prices worldwide, offshore companies need to keep their operating costs as low as possible. Minimal downtime was therefore also of paramount importance when implementing the new motors.
"Most of the electrical equipment on the B391 platform comes from the USA and is therefore certified to NEMA standards," explains Duncan Smith, Electrical Superintendent at Paragon Offshore. "In order to be able to replace the old motors as quickly as possible, we therefore needed a manufacturer with a sufficient stock of NEMA motors close to our European location in the Netherlands. From joint projects in the past, we knew about WEG's global presence and excellent service. We were also confident that we could rely on them to deliver the motors specified to our requirements in the shortest possible time, keeping downtime to a minimum."
Exposed to the elements
WEG supplied 18 motors certified to NEMA standards and four reserve motors to drive each of the three 110 m long legs of the B391 drilling platform, which is designed for drilling depths of up to 6,000 m. To ensure that the required specifications were met, technicians from the drive specialist first inspected the previously used motors in their workshops in Belgium. Meanwhile, the drilling rig was in dry dock at "Keppel Verolme" in the Netherlands.
The 58 compact, robust cast iron three-phase AC motors in the W22 series are suitable for even the most demanding applications and all have the same characteristics in terms of power and torque. The fact that all motors run at exactly the same speed is crucial to avoid current fluctuations and motor failures, which could lead to a catastrophe in the worst case scenario.
Based on its experience in developing solutions for the oil and gas industry and the maritime industry, WEG adapted the motors specifically for use in offshore applications. For example, the motors certified for shipbuilding have a special bearing sealing system that extends their service life in the aggressive North Sea environment. Stainless steel components and special paintwork provide increased corrosion protection.
The cooling system of the W22 motors ensures optimum air flow and effective cooling of the stator, rotor and critical components such as bearings. This ensures increased reliability and contributes to the fact that these asynchronous motors are available up to energy efficiency class IE4. The even temperature distribution in the housing prevents hotspots, which ensures consistently high performance over the entire service life.
The platform was soon ready for use again. Thanks to the WEG drives, Paragon Offshore was able to successfully position its B391 jack-up platform in the North Sea off the coast of the UK. The lifting operations were carried out without any power fluctuations or incidents, and the platform's legs are securely anchored to the seabed. In addition, the rapid delivery of the engines reduced costly downtime to a minimum.
"The W22 motors from WEG are robust and reliable. They have helped to ensure that the lifting operations have run smoothly. We expect the drives to have a long service life and low maintenance costs," says Duncan. "With a flexible team, locations across Europe and a good stock of spare parts, the company provides exactly the responsive and dedicated service we expect." Detlef Wortmann / am
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